The Ni Lab is a synthetic organic chemistry group dedicated to developing novel transition metal-catalyzed methodologies for the synthesis of bioactive compounds to accelerate drug discovery. Drug discovery plays a critical role in improving human health, yet the efficient construction of compound libraries with drug-like properties remains a significant challenge. Our lab aims to create new tools for building complex molecules from simple building blocks, enabling late-stage functionalization and rapid generation of drug-like compound libraries. Our research focuses on three main areas:
1. Streamlining heterocycle and carbocycle synthesis to access previously inaccessible cyclic structures relevant to medicinal chemistry. We will design new reaction systems that offer precise stereochemical control in ring formation.
2. Advancing green and sustainable chemistry through the development of novel catalysts, paired reaction systems to minimize waste, and the integration of machine learning tools to accelerate reaction optimization.
3. Creating new methods for rapid library construction, with a particular emphasis on covalent inhibitors and molecular glue libraries to support high-throughput screening and drug candidate identification.
The Ni Lab in Organic Chemistry 